I didn’t love this episode, but I’m glad they did it. They probably should have done it differently (maybe making it a flashback countered with us watching Locke begin to “finish what he started”) but I understand why they did it this way. We got tons of answers (sure, more questions, too, but none we absolutely HAVE to have), so shut up already.
I like that the story of MIB shows us exactly what I hoped, that he’s not a “BAD” guy. I was super relieved with the description of “antagonist” because I feel that much more illustrates what he is. He was always an analytical, manipulative person who pursued truth and enlightenment and escape. He never raised a hand to Jacob. Jacob was a whiny mama’s boy prone to bursts of tattling and violence when faced with the truth. I get why whitey is the “good” guy, but it’s so silly to say it. There really is no black and white. These guys are gray. Are you really the “good” guy when you are forced to take a job of ambiguous necessity and are allowed to make whatever rules you want, and in the process you disobey your mother and kill your brother? I’m not saying blackie’s the good guy either. I just don’t like good and bad to describe them.
If we assume mom’s right, someone needs to protect the light (?), then J’s the clear “protagonist.” But as I learned on that paper I only got a C+ on, there are vast differences between the hero, the protagonist, the “good guy,” etc. Actually, he isn’t even that. OUR guys are the protagonists. Which makes MIB the antagonist, the rival, the opponent. Not necessarily the bad guy. WIDMORE on the other hand, may be the real bad guy. The one who wants the LIGHT for himself is the guy I’d label the bad guy.
Namelessness: I am of two opinions here, or maybe just one with a caveat. It doesn’t bother me that MIB has no name yet. I feel like the writers have been clear that all names are important. Names categorize you on a shallow AND deep level. As soon as they name MIB, he becomes a solid thing we have a solid opinion about. What he is is written in stone. They need him to be as fluid as smoke. But I do understand that BECAUSE this show has always been about the importance of names, it can feel frustrating to have two such important characters as mom and MIB nameless. It makes them “legends and myths” but not PEOPLE. And we are used to seeing fully realized characters on this show. That aside, personally, I am totally fine if he never has a name.
“Protecting” the Light: It seems counterintuitive to be allowed to kill mothers and steal babies for the purpose of “protecting” the source of life. Now, at the same time, just because it’s all yellow glowy doesn’t mean it’s a “good” force. The source of life, death, and rebirth is not necessarily good or bad, it just is. WE assign feelings about it. To some, death is a mercy and is good (mom, for instance, who set her two children up hoping one would eventually kill her, I think). And it clearly would corrupt those who had access to it. It’s way too simplistic to say it is good or bad. Does it need protecting though? I don’t know how she got in charge of protecting it, how many were before her, and how did they start. Who was the first person to decide it needed protecting and how did they have the power to do so?
Clearly Jacob was made immortal-ish by becoming the guardian, just as mom was. So there are SOME actual powers involved, which implies protection is needed. Was the drink part of that? She said he was now like her after he drank it. Was mom lying about them not being able to hurt each other (Jacob did beat the crap out of MIB) or kill each other (technically Jacob did kill his brother)? Did mom kill MIB first but he pulled a Sayid? And did that influence why he became the smoke monster instead of some other detached soul thingie? I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to yet feel about whether the Light needs protecting with so much lying going on. I think in a practical sense, someone who won’t be corrupted by it should guard it. Did mom go in and experienced the “fate worse than death” and become a Smoke Monster herself (although it doesn’t explain why she had a body after she was killed, although we don’t know what happens to a set-in-stone smokey…maybe MIB would now die and there would be TWO Locke bodies on the Island). But it would explain how Mom accomplished a whole lot of destruction and filling in the well. It could also answer why she was so thrilled to get two guardians, one to relieve her of her duties and one to LITERALLY relieve her and become the opposing force. If she was both, she would understand the need for two to carry the burden, rather than one. IDK, she didn’t necessarily say anything like that, so I’ll shut up.
The sunken Island in the Flash Sideways: Does this indicate someone stole/killed the Light in this world and the Island sunk? With the “cork” metaphor, we can’t help but think maybe it’s holding the Light in and it wants to escape? Again, the Light is not necessarily good or bad, even though we automatically want to associate it with good. It DID produce the smoke monster, so…I mean, what’s smokey going to do when he escapes? Is he really more dangerous than this Light, whatever millions of things it could represent? I feel like the Light would be far more dangerous in the world than a guy who just wants to “go home” for the past 2000 years. Although, maybe as the smoke monster, he has no choice? And does it matter if the Light is ACTIVELY trying to escape or not?
The rules: MIB kid tells Jacob someday he can have a game HE makes the rules to. Then Jacob as a kid tells grown up MIB “tsk tsk, you know the rules. you can’t kill them.” MIB may have been the original game-player, but Jacob makes THESE rules because he’s the protector. Like the mom made up her own rules. The rules are made up. By Jacob. So it’s going to be real hard for MIB, despite his abilities, to win. Also, is this more evidence that the island really doesn’t need a protector? It’s technically been doing without one for a little while now. In addition, the knife used to kill mom I assume is the same knife Richard tried to use to kill Jacob and the same knife Dogen got Sayid to use on Locke. I HAD thought the “don’t let him talk” rule was really because both men are so persuasive, but now, with the mom being stabbed before saying a word…idk. And jacob was yapping the whole time before he died AND wasn’t killed with that particular knife. so…?
Free will: Jacob wasn’t given a real choice. Free will didn’t apply to him. Which may be why he was so eager to just let people do what they do. BUT in many circumstances he has given CHOICES although not free will exactly. Dogen was given the choice to let his son stay as is, or never see his son again and come to the Island to serve Jacob. What choice was Ilana given. This is complicated, really. You have the free will to choose whichever thing, but when your options are limited, is there really a choice? Not going to get into this.
Quick thoughts:
-When Locke was shown the Eye of the Island, he saw a beautiful light. This is currently blowing my mind.
-MIB loves technology; I like how the cabin visit we get a freaking-out entity when Locke uses a flashlight.
-The light in the cave, the light Des was exposed to, look pretty similar. I assume we now know where he will need to go?
-The statue and game. The game was egyptian, but we didn’t see the statue, despite mom implying others have been there before. The Others were what, roman i guess? if so, wouldn’t all the egyptian stuff already be there?
-Interesting that they said we’d understand “John Locke’s” motives. I do think MIB’s name is likely John. And I love connecting this back to when Locke’s mother says “John! His name is John!” after she has the baby.
-MIB sees dead people, excellent, he IS special. Yet Sawyer and Desmond also saw Jacob as a kid, which I definitely think is dead jacob rather than time-traveling bunnies, so idk…
-MIB is consistently referred to as the special one of the two. awesome.
I feel bad for the dudes writing and producing this show. Fans whine constantly about the answers they REQUIRE NOW! Then they write it and film it and try, they really do, it sounds like it will be good, but sometimes not so much. They know they HAVE to answer certain questions, but when they do, how do you really do it successfully? It’s hard. We aren’t easy to please and you guys opened a whole freakin lot of wormcans, so…
Ug, this isn’t ready to post, super shallow, but whatever.
That said, I’m hoping the flashing back to Kate/Jack/Locke discovering the Adam and Eve bodies MEANT something and wasn’t just blatant spelling out of things for people. We really are smart enough to get it. although, yeah, granted, the constant idiotic whining coming from a whole lot of fans who can’t even retain that Locke’s not wearing a shirt, he’s SMOKE…I don’t necessarily blame them for spending an episode talking down.